We started raising Nigerian dwarf goats in 2002. I was familiar with the conservation list of the Livestock Conservancy, and I wanted all of our animals to come from that list because I wanted to help preserve rare breeds. The Nigerian and Oberhasli were the only two dairy goats on the list, so I didn't have much to choose from. I can't honestly say I remember all of my … [Read more...]
BioWorma: A New Weapon Against Roundworms in Livestock
Later this month, there will be a new product on the market in the US and New Zealand that farmers and ranchers can feed to their livestock to reduce their burden of roundworms. In goats and sheep, that includes the infamous barber pole worm, as well as bankrupt worm and brown stomach worm. The good news is that BioWorma is not just another chemical dewormer, which worms can … [Read more...]
Kelp: Friend or Foe
Opinions on kelp for livestock vary about as much as they do on politics and religion. While one person says it's a savior, others say it's dangerous. The truth is somewhere in the middle. And as always, keep in mind that conditions vary from farm to farm, so what works great for one farm may not work as well on another farm. Before we dive into the nutritional analysis of … [Read more...]
Diarrhea in Goats
It's not unusual to see someone asking for advice on social media, simply saying that their goat has diarrhea. Unfortunately, that's not an easy question to answer because there are a couple dozen possible causes. In the fourth edition of Diseases of the Goat, author John Matthews has a 28-page chapter entitled "Diarrhea," which should give you an idea that this is not exactly … [Read more...]
What Floppy Kid Syndrome Is — and What It Is Not
Because of the simple name of this syndrome, a lot of people assume they have a case of floppy kid whenever they have a kid that's, well, floppy. However, it is a well defined condition that only occurs between three days and two weeks of age. The textbooks say it has been seen up to a month of age in rare cases, but most vets will draw the line around ten days to two … [Read more...]
Goat Disbudding Options
Disbudding is every goat owner's least favorite task. Disbudding is burning the horn buds at a very early age so that horns don't grow. Dehorning is actually removing horns, and it is far more dangerous and traumatic. Meat and fiber goats, which are not handled that much, usually keep their horns. However, dairy goats are usually disbudded because they are handed twice a day … [Read more...]
Do Goats Need Baking Soda?
When I got started with goats in 2002 it was common practice for goat owners to have baking soda available free choice. The logic is that baking soda is a rumen buffer. If a goat's rumen pH gets a little off, they can self medicate by licking up a little baking soda. It would be like you taking an antacid if you got indigestion. Recently, however, the practice of free choice … [Read more...]
Zinc Deficiency in Goats
In the middle of an especially cold January eight years ago with temperatures falling below zero most nights, my bucks began losing large chunks of hair. There were bare patches of skin as large as two or three inches across in some spots. It looked like they had dandruff. I also started seeing foam collecting at the corners of their mouths. Then one morning I walked into the … [Read more...]
Kinders: A Dual-Purpose Goat Breed
This guest post is written by Sue Beck, president of the Kinder Goat Breeders Association, whom I first met at the Mother Earth News Fair in Wisconsin, along with a couple of her beautiful goats. Life changing moments are never obvious when they occur. If they were, the moment I decided to get a few goats would have set off bells, alarms and probably fireworks. It changed … [Read more...]
Goats and Sheep and Cobalt
You may have seen a cobalt block at your local feed store, or if you're on social media, you may have seen goat or sheep owners talking about them. People have stated that it helps goats utilize their feed better or that their particular breed requires more cobalt than other breeds. Even though my goats and sheep seem to utilize their feed just fine, I started to wonder if my … [Read more...]
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